I asked the Shopify AI to total my purchase orders by store and by month. It came back immediately with a much bigger total so I manually calculated the information and it was drastically wrong. So I asked it how it calculated the information because I just did it manually and came up with a much lower figure. It then apologized and indicated that it had mistakenly provided sales information and that Shopify doesn’t have reports that calculate purchase orders at this time…? Is that correct? I know it’s not the easiest information to find, but I think there is usually a work around. And, if it is true… Shopify should get on it. This is one of the MOST important reports for a merchant.
Topic summary
A merchant discovered that Shopify’s AI assistant provided incorrect purchase order totals when asked to calculate them by store and month. The AI initially returned sales data instead, then acknowledged that Shopify currently lacks native purchase order reporting capabilities.
Current Limitations:
- Shopify’s default reports do not include detailed Purchase Order summaries
- The AI assistant cannot access actual purchase order records, only sales data
Available Workarounds:
- Stocky app (available with Shopify POS Pro): Offers basic purchase order management and supplier history with export capabilities, though not detailed monthly breakdowns by default
- Manual methods: Exporting data and organizing in spreadsheets by vendor and month
- Third-party solutions: Using inventory or ERP apps that sync with Shopify for comprehensive PO tracking
The merchant correctly identified this as a critical gap, as purchase order reporting is essential for inventory planning and multi-vendor management. The issue remains unresolved, highlighting the need for native PO reporting functionality.
Hi,
You’ve brought up a really good point. Purchase order tracking and reporting is something many merchants rely on for inventory planning, especially when working with multiple vendors or managing stock across locations.
To clarify what happened: you’re correct that Shopify’s default reports do not currently include detailed Purchase Order summaries in the same way they offer Sales or Inventory reports. So when the AI assistant responded with sales data instead of purchase data, it likely pulled from what it had access to, not from actual purchase order records in your admin.
Here’s what you can do in the meantime:
If you’re using Shopify’s Stocky app (available on Shopify POS Pro), you can manage and view purchase orders there. Stocky provides some basic reporting per supplier and lets you see your past purchase history. It’s not as detailed as a monthly breakdown by default, but it does allow exports which you can sort manually by store and month.
If you’re not using Stocky, then there isn’t a built-in purchase order report system at this time. Most store owners handle this by:
- Exporting data from Stocky or manual purchase records
- Organizing them by vendor and month in a spreadsheet
- Or using a third-party inventory or ERP app that syncs with Shopify and includes full PO tracking and reporting
So yes, you’re absolutely right that there are workarounds, but a native, clean purchase order report would save a lot of time.
Thanks for raising it. This kind of feedback helps surface what real store owners need.